Concrete mixer



Nov. 1, 1927.

E. 'C. LEACH CONCRETE MIXER Filed July 23, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l ZZZ/6722b?" erZ jgtwdw Ndv. 1, 1927. 1,647,410

E. C. LEACH CONCRETE MIXER Filed July 23, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. C. LEACH CONCRETE MIXER Filed July 25. 1 926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I ELBEBE. C. LEAOH, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T LEACH COMP, OF

OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

CONCRETE MIXER.

Application filed July 23, 1926. Serial No. 124,360.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved concrete mixer, the im-' power-transmitting mechanism which con-' nects the operating motor with the mixing drum and the skip hoist, a dependable knock-out device which releases the clutch for the hoist, and a pair of strong and frictionless double rollers which. support the drum during rotation or the same.

While the foregoing statement is indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, other objects and advantages will be evident to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the mixer construction as disclosed in the accompanying drawings and followingdescription, wherein one embodiment of the invention is presented for the purpose of exemplification. It will of course be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side view of a mixer embodying the above mentioned features of the invention;

- Fig. 2 is an end view of the mixer;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mixer, with the superstructure and associated mechanism removed for clearness;

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a portion of the power-transmitting mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of that portion of .casing on the chassis, with the crank-shaft axis of the motor perpendicular to the axis of the drum. A single main operating shaft is connected with the crank-shaft of the motor byreduction gearing 16 housed within themotor casing, and extends therefrom to a point adjacent the periphery of the drum, where it is supported in a bracket 17. A p1n1on 18 is mounted on the shaft 15, and

meshes with a ring gear 19 which is secured about the periphery of the drum 11. When the pinion 18 is rotated by the shaft 15, the drum is rotated bythe gear 19.

The pinion 18 is mounted insuch a way as to turnfreely on the end of the shaft 15, but may be connected rigidly with that shaft when desired by means of 'a conical clutch member 20 which is keyed to the shaft 15 and occupies a conical recess in the pinion.

The clutch member 20 is shiftable axially of the shaft 15 and pinion 18 by means of an arrangement of levers 21, upon actuation of a laterally extendin clutch-operating handle 22, and, when so s ifted, will engage frictionally .with the pinion 18 and establ1sh a rigid driving connection between the shaft 15 and the pinion.

The loading skip 13 is pivoted at 23 to two spaced and vertically extending portions of a. superstructure 24 which is secured to the chassis 10 and extends over and about the drum 11. The skip is raised and low ered by means of a cable 25 which extends beneath the free end of the skip and upwardly from both sides thereof over two spaced winding drums 26 which are secured to a shaft 27. 'The' shaft 27 is rotatably mounted on the superstructure 24, and is provided at one end with afixed hub 28 on which a s rocket wheel 29 rotates during rotation o the pinion 18. Power is transmitted to the sprocket wheel 29 from the pinion 18 by means of a chain 30 which passes, at its upper end, about the sprocket wheel 29, and, at its lower end, about a sprocket wheel 31 which is attached to one face of the pinion 18 in the same vertical plane as the sprocket wheel 29. en it is desired to raise the skip, the shaft 27 carrying the winding drums 26 is clutched to the sprocket wheel 29 by shifting a handle 32, which handle oscillates a lever 33 and places a clutch 34 in operation between cooperating clutch elements on the sprocket wheel 29 and the hub 28.

When the skip approaches the end of its upward tilting movement, a portion thereof comesinto contact with the projecting end of a bell-crank lever 35 pivoted to the supernet structure 24 above the charging inlet 36 in the drum, and further movement of the skip will oscillate the lever and cause the other end 37 thereof, which extends through an aperture in a bracket 38 on a thrust rod 39 connecting the clutch operating handle 32 with the lever 33, to shift in a direction which will cause the lever 33 to release the clutch 34. The operation of such lmockout device also results in the tightening of a brake band 40 about a brake drum 41 on the shaft 27, the band 40 being tightened by a spring 42 which is held inoperative at other times by a lever 43, which lever is pivoted to the connecting rod 39 and is escillated upon the movement of such rod 'incident to the clutch releasing action thereof.

The discharge chute 14 is supported by an arrangement of levers 44 in such a way as to be swung into the discharge opening ,of the drum 11 by the levers upon oscillation of an operating handle 45. The chute, when swung into the opening, seats in a fixed trough 46 carried by the superstructure 24 and causes discharge of the concrete 0 other materials from the drum. The drum 11 is rotatably mounted upo two pairs of double trunnion rollers 46 which are journalled on shafts 47 carried by brackets 48 extending downwardly from the chassis 10. The double rollers 46 are of integral formation, and consist of two spaced and oppositely dished disks 49 which are connected together about their inner peripheries by central sleeves 50 and terminate outwardly in spaced rims 51. The gear 19, which extends about and is secured to the mixing drum 1]., is formed upon a band. which is provided with two annular tracks 52 and two lateral guide shoulders 53. The rollers 46 span the gear 19 with ample clearance relative thereto and bear against the side portions ofthe band on which the gear is formed, the outer peripheral surfaces of the rims 51 riding on the annular tracks 52, and the inner side faces of the rims bearing against the shoulders 52, which arrangement affords a strong and frictionless support for the drum and efiectively resists endwise movement thereof. The central sleeve portions 50 of'the rollers are hollowed out intermediate their ends, which ends are mounted upon bushings 54, and the resulting annular chambers 55 are provided with lubricating ducts 56 which terminate at the sides of the rollers in high pressure grease fittings-57, or other suitable closures. The shaft supporting brackets 48 are advantageously formed as a lower apertured casting 58 in which one end of the shaft is contained, and a relatively light marginally flanged sheet metal arm 59 which is secured at one end to the chassis and is bolted at the The water used in preparing the concrete or other materials mixed in the drum 11, is contained within a tank 60 mounted on the superstructure 24 above the drum, and is conducted into the drum through a conduit 61, the amount being regulated by a suitable measuring device 62 associated with the tank, and the flow being controlled by a suitable valve 63 operated from a control handle 64.

During rotation of the mixing drum 11, the ring gear 19 on the drum is maintained in proper relation to the pinion 18 on the drive shaft by means of a thrust roller 65 which bears without friction a ainst the gear at a point in opposition to t e pinion,

ll claim:

lhlln a concrete mixer, the combination of a motor, a rotatable mixing drum, a skip for loading the drum, a main operating shaft for the drum and skip extending from the motor toward the drum in perpendicular relation to the axis of the latter, a drive connection between the shaft and the drum, a second shaft positioned above the main shaft in parallel relation thereto, means associated with the second shaft for hoisting the skip upon rotation of that shaft, and a drive connection between the main shaft and the second shaft.

2. In a concrete mixer, the combination of a motor, a rotatable mixing drum, a skip for loading the drum, a main operating shaft for the drum and skip extending from the motor toward the drum in perpendicular relation to the axis of the latter, a gear connection between the shaft and the drum, a second shaft positioned above the main shaft in parallel relation thereto, means associated with the second shaft for hoisting the skip upon rotation of that shaft, and a chain and sprocket connection between the main shaft and the second shaft.

3. In a concrete mixer, the combination of a motor, a rotatable mixing drum, a skip for loading the drum, a main operating shaft forthe drum and skip extending from the motor toward the drum in perpendicular relation to the axis of the latter, a pinion journalled on the shaft adjacent the periphery of the drum, a clutch for connecting the pinion with the shaft, a ring gear secured about the periphery of the drum in mesh with the pinion, a second shaft positioned above the main shaft in parallel relation thereto, means associated with the second shaft for hoisting the skip, a sprocket wheel journalled on the second shaft, a clutch for connecting the sprocket wheel to the second shaft, another sprocket wheel secured to the pinion for rotation with the same, and a chain connecting the sprocket wheels.

4. In a concrete mixer, the combination of a motor, a mixing drum, a skip for loade eeeeee ing he drum, connections heeween the motor and the drum and skip for rotatin the drum and hoisting-g the skip, a hen 421mtrplled clutch for rendering the ski hoisting connection operative at will, an means fer mitematiceuy releasing the clutch when ihe skip reaches the upper end of its travel, said means consisting of e pivoted lever which projects into the path of the skip and is connecte with the clutch in such e 1 way as to release the letter when oscillated by the skip,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscriMd my name.

' ELBERT G. LEACH 

